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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-23067

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 5 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding the suspension of home sharing and house swapping from the short-term lets licensing scheme.

On 27 October 2023 I wrote to the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee about the scope of a 2024 update on implementation, which confirms that the purpose of the update is not to amend the types of licence i.e. home-sharing, home-letting and secondary let because it is important that safety standards apply to all visitor accommodation. I have had no discussions which commit to suspending either of these accommodation types from the scheme.

We have been responsive throughout our implementation of the short-term let licensing scheme. We consulted three times over three years and engaged extensively to develop the detail of the scheme, which was scrutinised by Parliament prior to its approval in January 2022. Since local schemes became operational in October 2022, thousands of short-term let hosts and operators have applied for home-sharing, home-letting and secondary let licences under this scheme.

A copy of the letter is available on the Scottish Parliament website at: https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/local-gov/correspondence/2023/shorttermlets27oct.pdf

Question reference: S6T-01678

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to protect local authorities from the risk of bankruptcy.

Question reference: S6T-01673

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the declaration by more than 20 countries from four continents at COP28 to triple nuclear energy capacity by 2050, recognising the key role of nuclear energy in reaching net zero, for what reason it is reportedly discounting nuclear power.

Question reference: S6F-02619

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 December 2023

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to address the impacts of obesity and excess weight on the Scottish economy and NHS.

Question reference: S6F-02622

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 December 2023

To ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet.

Question reference: S6F-02615

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 December 2023

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will outline any plans it has for freedom of information reform in the current parliamentary session.

Question reference: S6F-02609

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 December 2023

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that its recent Crohn’s and colitis awareness campaign is reaching deprived and marginalised communities, in light of Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week this week.

Question reference: S6F-02607

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 December 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-02608

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 December 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-23157

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to address any misuse of cards issued through the Young Persons’ (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel scheme by young people committing acts of antisocial behaviour in communities.

Antisocial behaviour is unacceptable on Scotland's public transport and in wider society. Tackling anti-social behaviour must focus on the causes, not the mode of transport. While the Young Persons Free Bus Travel Scheme changes the way in which bus travel is paid for, it does not affect bus operators’ conditions of carriage that all passengers are expected to follow.

The police, local authorities, and other local agencies are responsible for tackling anti-social behaviour at the local level. It is these agencies, empowered by the Scottish Government, working in a concerted and co-ordinated way with local people that are working to tackle the problem effectively.

I recognise that no single approach will tackle all anti-social behaviour. However, we support a suite of enforcement activities including Formal Warnings, Fixed Penalty Notices and Antisocial Behaviour Orders, alongside positive diversionary and early intervention activities. The Scottish Government will continue to work with partners to strengthen options to tackle anti-social behaviour.

The Scottish Government is encouraging anyone witnessing such incidents to report this behaviour to their local council’s Antisocial Behaviour Team and to report all criminal behaviour to the police.